Estate Administration and Probate Applications

Total 143 Posts

The Hidden Work Behind a Probate Application

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Does anyone know the current processing time for probate applications in                 ? Fill in the blank with the Ontario court location of your choice – it is a question that comes up frequently in our network of estates law clerks. So I was interested when I saw two recent articles in The Globe and Mail: “Even with a will, probate wait times can be all over the map” and….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Executors, Wills

Buying Property Abroad? Consider these Estate Planning Issues First

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This blog has been written by Pritika Deepak, Associate at Fasken LLP Many Canadians dream of owning property abroad and many already do. Whether it is a winter retreat in Florida, a villa in France, or a retirement home in Costa Rica, purchasing foreign real estate can be an exciting milestone. However, foreign property often introduces estate planning considerations that are overlooked until it is too late. Before completing the….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Planning, International, Power of Attorney, Probate Tax, Property, Real Estate, Succession Planning, Tax Issues, Testamentary Capacity, Uncategorized, Wills

When Chattels Breathe: The Challenge of Inheriting Horses

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This blog has been written by Caroline Caron, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP At first glance, inheriting a horse may seem no different from inheriting any other personal asset. In law, that is partly true: a horse is generally classified as a chattel, a form of tangible personal property, much like a vehicle or piece of artwork. However, this classification quickly reveals its limits. Unlike most chattels, horses are living….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications

Excluded Property, Estate Freezes and Family Law: What Estate Planners Need to Know After Lang-Newlands v. Newlands

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Estate planners have long viewed trusts and estate freezes as valuable tools for succession planning, tax efficiency, and family wealth preservation. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Lang-Newlands v. Newlands, 2026 ONCA 530, serves as an important reminder that family law considerations can significantly affect the intended outcomes of an estate plan. For trusts and estates practitioners, the decision highlights the limits of relying on the Family….

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Contested wills, Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Conflict, Spouse, Succession Planning, Trusts, Uncategorized, Wills

But Google Says… The Executor’s Guide to Late-Night Googling

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Accepting an appointment as executor is a bit like agreeing to assemble a complicated piece of furniture without realizing the instructions are 300 pages long, several pieces are missing, and everyone in the family has a different opinion about how it should be assembled. Most executors begin the process feeling confident and optimistic. They are organized. They are capable. They have a plan. A few months later, they are searching….

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Estate Administration, Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Executors

The Consequences of “Stealing” an Estate

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The Court of Appeal recently released a decision dismissing appeals against conviction of a former Toronto police officer and a former employee of the Public Guardian and Trustee (“PGT”) who fabricated the last will and testament of Heinz Siegfried Sommerfeld to benefit the police officer. In 2023, a police officer, Robert Konashewych, and a PGT employee, Adellene Balgobin, were convicted of defrauding the estate of Mr. Sommerfeld, who was an….

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Estate Administration and Probate Applications, Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Wills
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